Category: Education & Innovation

The goal of education and innovation in Nigeria is envisioned to be ruled by true wisdom and self-consciousness. The Nigerian innovative spirit coupled with humane values is acknowledged in its dynamic and universal applicability.

 

Boubini Jones-Wonni Emerge Best Graduating Student From Miles College In USA [2018]

18-year- old Boubini Jones-Wonni, has emerged as the best graduating student and Valedictorian from her class [2018] at Miles College, Metropolitan Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America, USA.

Jones-Wonni who was declared by the university authority as best graduating student on May 5, 2018, got her admission in 2014 after making the best result in the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, SSCE, at the Word of Faith Group of Schools in Abuja and was also the best student at age of 14.

She was initially granted admission by the University of Alabama, Birmingham, USA, at age 15 to study Medicine, but could not make it to the school due to late resumption. She therefore settled for Miles College in Alabama to pursue her first degree in Biology.

Born on October 23, 1999, she started her education at Banky’s Private School in Abuja, where because of her intelligence, she was asked to enroll for the common entrance at primary three. She made the best result and was admitted into Word of Faith Group of Schools in Abuja, where she sat for the 2013/2014 SSCE and had an outstanding result with ‘As’ and ‘Bs’ in all her subjects, and was made valedictorian of the year.

Boubini Jones-Wonni said:

“I want to express my gratitude to God and then to the Federal Government through the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, to avail me of this opportunity to gain admission into Miles College in Alabama to pursue my first degree in Biology.

Today, I have successfully completed the programme, I thank God for being with me throughout the programme, and He crowned my effort. I was not expecting this but I thank God.”

Howard University, Washington D.C, USA, has granted her admission to study medicine, where she will become a trained neurologist and surgeon soon.

Oluwafemi Adedairo Wins World Mathematics Team Challenge [2018]

Oluwafemi Adedairo of the Nigerian Tulip International College (NTIC) has won the World Mathematics Team Challenge after defeating renowned schools across the globe.

According to Oluwafemi Adedairo:

“It was a big surprise. I feel happy and excited about it. I want to thank my teachers and the Almighty for this award.”

Speaking at the NTIC award-giving ceremony, the Deputy Managing Director of NTIC, Mr. Feuzullah Filbin, said the school’s accomplishment in the competitions was due to hard work by the students.

In the words of Mr. Feuzullah Filbin:

“The secret behind our success is the hard work of the students and also their dedicated teachers.

In this academic session, NTIC students participated in various competitions where there made themselves, their families, the NTIC families, Nigeria and the Africa continent at large proud at global scenes by returning with 62 international medals. 11 gold, 22 silver and 29 bronze medals and produced twelve first positions, four second- position and eight third positions at national competition.

Some of the competitions participated in include: The Intellectual Challenge, University of Cambridge UK, GISUTECH-International Robotic and Technology competition UGANDA, GOLDEN Climate International Project Olympiad KENYA, International Math Challenge THAILAND, Malaysian International young inventors, Mendel Biology International Olympiad KYRGYZTAN, Universal Competition for Educational Posters TADJIKISTAN, Universal Project Olympiad USA, World Mathematics Team Championship and Global Math Challenge, conducted online.

At National level, the students participated in competitions such as, Mathematics Without Borders, Nigerian Round, National Mathematics and Science Olympiad, Association of Chartered Certified Accountant, World Scholars Cup, Abuja Round and IQ League, Abuja.”

4 Nigerian Students Emerge Winners Of US Conrad Spirit Of Innovation Challenge [2018]

Four students of Whitesands School, Lekki (William Afolabi {Team Leader}, Mordi Menashi, Famobiwo Olubusuyi and Ugbo Osagumwenro) – Team Neon who represented Nigeria and Africa at the Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge have emerged the 2018 Power Pitch winner of the Smoke-Free World category of the competition at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Florida, USA.

The Smoke-Free category challenged students who are presently in JSS2 to develop a marketable and innovative idea that can help in reducing smoking and at the same time provide an economic solution to challenges facing tobacco farmers in developing countries.

Thus, the students with the supervision of their coach, Mr. Matthew Omostosho developed an app they called Virtual Farm, which they presented at the final of the science competition. They were the only representatives from Nigeria and Africa in the finals and they have reportedly received Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Good Citizen award among other prizes.

The US Conrad Spirit Of Innovation Challenge is an international innovation competition comprised of five categories: Aerospace Aviation, Cyber Technology and Security, Energy and Environment, Health and Nutrition, and Smoke-Free World.

Participants are expected to develop a marketable and innovative idea that can solve a real-world problem by using Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) principles.

This annual competition challenges teams to use science, technology, engineering and math innovation, as well as entrepreneurship, to create a more sustainable world for today and the future generations.

The global decline of smoking have many positive health impacts, but also brought negative economic consequences to tobacco farmers, many of whom are in developing nations. Students were invited to design 21st Century solutions to farmlands currently used for tobacco production, especially in African countries.

Oluwatofunmi Oteju Awarded Augsburg University’s 2018 Emerging Leader Of The Year Award

16-year-old Oluwatofunmi Oteju has been awarded the Emerging Leader of the Year award for 2018 by Augsburg University, United States of America.

The Emerging Leader of the Year award recognizes students who participated in the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) during 2017 fall semester and a platform used by the University to celebrate students who demonstrated active involvement in student activities, student governance, and student life at Augsburg during the academic year.

Continue reading Oluwatofunmi Oteju Awarded Augsburg University’s 2018 Emerging Leader Of The Year Award

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Wins 2018 Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, has received the 2018 Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers award.

The 2018 Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers award was presented at Poets & Writers’ annual dinner in celebration of writers, in New York City.

The Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award celebrates authors who have given generously to other writers or to the broader literary community.

The award, which is presented each year at Poets & Writers’ annual dinner, is named for Barnes & Noble in appreciation of its long-standing support.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was honoured for her work with the Farafina Trust Creative Writing Workshop in Nigeria.

The Nigerian author was honoured alongside other writers, Steve Cannon, and Richard Russo.

Susan Isaacs is the chairman of Poets & Writers’ Board of Directors and also the chair of the committee charged with selecting the honorees.

According to Susan Isaacs:

“We receive nominations from writers, publishing professionals, and others in the literary community. From the information about the nominees and their accomplishments, we select three writers and an editor who exemplify Poets & Writers’ core values: service, integrity, inclusivity, and excellence.

This year’s honorees are models of those qualities. The Board is delighted to be able to honour them. Their work makes me proud to be part of this community.”

According to Poets & Writers:

“The three writers we honor this year have not only expanded our horizons through their own writing, they are dedicated to supporting other writers and to bringing diverse voices into the literary conversation.”

Adichie, who has been championing a “Wear Nigerian” campaign, was clad in a black and yellow outfit from Nigerian brand Muse Factory.

Edo University Commissions First Anatomage Table In Nigeria [2018]

Edo University Iyamho has commissioned the first Anatomage Table by any medical training institution in Nigeria.

The Vice Chancellor of the Edo University Iyamho, Engr. (Professor) Emmanuel Aluyor, made this disclosure on the 23rd of March 2018 during the University’s 2nd Founder’s Day, held at Iyamho in Etsako West local government area of the State.

According to the Engr. Emmanuel Aluyor, an Anatomage Table is the most technologically advanced anatomy visualization system in the world for anatomy education, which has been adopted by many of the world’s leading medical schools.

Engr. Emmanuel Aluyor further disclosed that Edo University is one of the four medical training institutions in Nigeria with power lab system for teaching Physiology and Pharmacology, adding that the clinical skills laboratory when fully operational, will compete with other leading medical schools in the continent.

The University management also recently signed memorandum of understanding for partnership with two foreign universities, namely, Worcester State University, Massachusetts, United States of America, and the University of Sunderland, United Kingdom.

Professor Aluyor said the partnerships would afford some students of the institution the opportunity to spend between one and two years abroad in the students’ exchange programme, to complete their training in approved programmes.

He said that the University has made history within its two years of existence, having just been adjudged the best State-owned University in Nigeria and 3rd out of 160 Universities assessed by the National Universities Commission (NUC), in the Open Educational Resources (OER) ranking recently.

In the words of Professor Aluyor:

“Achieving this feat just within two years of its existence further shows that the vision of the University to become a centre of excellence​ in quality teaching, research, innovations and community development is being vigorously pursued in order to live up to its motto ‘Quality Education for Development’.”

Jimoh Khairat Emerge 3rd In The British Council Writing Competition [2018]

13-year-old Jimoh Khairat Onize has emerged as the second runner up of the British Council Writing Competition.

Jimoh Khairat attends Dependable International School, Niger State. Her story titled “Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress” was judged to be the third best among the numerous entries received worldwide in the 11-14 years old category of the Commonwealth Class Children’s Short Story Writing Competition.

The other top entries of the British Council Writing Competition are:

  • First place: Christmas Wish by Ren-Wei Yip, Malaysia
  • Second place: Peace by Elena Gourley, Northern Ireland UK

An additional story in this category was awarded ”highly commended” by the judging panel.

According to the comments of the Judges as regards to Jimoh Khairat’s story:

“This is a tragic story about war, but with a hopeful ending. It contains an important message about young peoples’ voices being heard, and moments of detail create a strong sense of place and atmosphere.”

Excerpts from Jimoh Khairat’s story:

{Justice is blind.

The scourge of poverty has taken away the days of bumper harvest, days when I had surplus to eat. My stomach rumbles like rocks rolling down a volcano about to erupt: the repulsive smell from smouldering corpses for breakfast, wild fruits for lunch and putrid trash scavenged for dinner. The poison arrows of separation, parents from children. Poor orphans like me seek protection in the rainforest of southern Nigeria as the only dwelling place. The ruckus from nearby villages gives me no certitude of life for the morrow. This forced escapade only brings unrestricted imaginations of the future: a united and peaceful Nigeria.

…

The day came when I saw my best friend, Ella, lying down lifeless under a banana tree, bereft, I risked all I had left – my life. I waded through the mud barefooted, towards the direction of the non indulgent militants; the sound from marching boots led the way. A hefty grip held me and I was blindfolded, presented to their leader – a man at the brink of old age – whom I saw after the blindfold was removed… “I’d die anyway, although it’s worse than not trying”, I’d thought, so I began to speak, “Enough blood has been shed already, Nigeria is ours and we cannot disintegrate her, dialogue is paramount to ensuring a realistic victory for our cause, until you realise, united we stand, divided we fall, until then, peace or annihilation.” To my greatest surprise he believed me! Surrendering but not defeated, the southern activists decided to annul the idea of disintegration.

As I stand before a crowd united at heart, having done for my country, something heroic. Peace henceforth even forever.}